Balanced ball mill



W. M. BARKER BALANCED BALL MILL Filed May 26l 1926 N .AQ

V provide an improved Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,594,990 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. BARRIER, 0F CANTON, OHIO.

BALANCE!) BALL MILL.

Application filed Hay 26, 1926. Serial N0. 111,774.

- it is se-t up in combination with a'. fan or other suction means to carry out the fines of the mill by a current of air. When the mill is used as a wet grinding mill, the material to be ground is mixed with water to such a consistency that the wet mixture will flow into the mill, through the mill, and out of the mill by gravity.

Another object of the inventionis to save power by providing means for approximately balancing the ball load by maintaining a nearly equal weight of balls oneach side of the drum axis. By these means much less power is required to rotate a mill of the present construction than is necessary to rotate a ball or rod mill of the same size or capacity of any type wherein it is necessary to lift up the balls or rods on one side of the drum axis until they cascade and fall downward, and without havingany weight of balls on the opposite side of the axis to compensate the up-going Aload when the drum is rotating.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a horizontally rotating mill that will positively grind material by true rolling action and attrition between freely moving balls and hard metal tracks, the tracks being shaped to conform, to the contour of the balls, and to form continuous ball races entirely around the inside of the shell of the drum, and there being Vmeans for keeping the balls in these peripheral ball tracks and away from the axial part of the drum, and there being means for positively forcin material being processed through the mil, topass in succession between the entire series of -balls and ball tracks before the material is discharged in a ground or pulverized condition from the mill. operating 'either as a dry or wet grinder.

A preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which-.-

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical axial ed generally at cross-section of one form of the im roved balmced ballmill as on line 1 1, ig'. 2; an

Fig. 2 is a ,half end elevation thereof, and

half transverse cross-section thereof, as on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The improved balanced ball mill indicat- 10, is-prcvided with an orificed feed end trunnion 11 and an orificed outlet end trunnion 11 suitably journaled in bearing blocks 12 and 12', respectively, and the bearing blocks are suitably supported on foundation piers 13 and 13.

The trunnions 11 and 11 are preferably integral portions of mill ends 14 and 14', the ends including end cone 'shells 14* and 14"" connected at their apex ends to the trunnions 11 and 11', and at their bases with flange end rings 15 and 15'. At their outer peripheries, the end rings'are connected as by bolts 16, with the flanges 17 and 17 re spetively, of the outer drum shell 18 of the m1 A ring gear 19 may also be connected to the end ring 15 and the drum'shell 17' by the bolts 16, and the gear 19 may be meshed with a driving pinion 20 suitably journaled in a bearing block 21 which may be mounted upon the pier 13', and the driving pinion may be suitably connected to a source of power, not shown', for rotating the mill.

. The outer drum and the end rings form an annular chamber in which are located segmental hard liners 22 preferably extending entirely around the circumference of the annular chamber and being provided preferably with a plurality of annular ball track grooves 23 separated from each other as by a plurality of inwardly extending peripheral flanges 24.

The segmental and in abutment with, the outer drum shell 18 and a main inner cylinder casing indicated generally at shell 26 havin a plurality of outwardly extending peripheral flanges 27 abutting the inwardly extending flanges 24 of the liners, the liner grooves and flanges and the cylinder drum and flanges forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers 28. Y

The outer ends of the cylinder drum 27 terminate in a plurality of spaced apertured inwardly extending fiange feet 29 for bolt connection with the end rings 15 and liners 22 are intermediate, 'l

25, and including a drum 15' preferably at the junctions of the end rings with the end cone shells, the spaced flange feet 29 projecting longitudinally beyond the outer peripheral ends 30 and 30 of the inner casing drum, thereby forming with the mill ends a plurality of ports 32 and 32 communicating respectively with the first and last annular ball chambers 28.

The main inner cylinder casing 25 is provided with a solid partition 33 to form a feed chamber 34: and a discharge chamber 35 for the mill'.

The inwardly extending liner flanges 24 are provided with a plurality of spaced notches 36 forming with the outwardly extending flanges 27 of the inner casing drum intervening partitions and side ports 37 therein providin'g communication between the several ball race chambers 28. i

Each of the ball race chambers 28 is filled preferably through substantially its entire circumference, with a plurality 'of large balls n38 of a diameter somewhat less, as desired, than the least dimension of the ball race chambers 28. A few small balls 39 may be located in each of the feedand discharge chambers of the mill for purposes hereinafter to be described.

In operation, materia-l to be ground or pulverized is fed into the feed end trunnion orifice 40 as by means of a scoop drum not shown or any other desired type of feeder, and passes through the ports 32 into the first ball race chamber 28 where the mate.- rial is subject to the main grinding action of the large balls 38 rolling against the' annular track groove 23 of the segmental hard liners 22.

The liners form continuous grinding races for the balls to travel on, and the liners extend as heretofore stated about the entire internal circumference of the outer drum.

Each ball race chamber is lilled with sufficient balls, substantially enough to fill the entire circumference of the chamber, so that when the mill is rotating there is substantially the same weight of balls on each 'side of the longitudinal axis of the drum; that is to say, there are nearly as many balls on the descending side of the drum as on the ascending side. Consequently the ball load is substantially balanced. The balls, being retained in the annular ball race chambers, are free to move therein, and will consequently subject any material entering the chambersto grinding action whenever the mill is rotated. i

Thus the material which has been fed into the feed chamber 34 ofthe rotating mill is thrown outward by centrifugal force and gravity against the drum wall of the inner casing and through the ports 32 into the first ball race chamber 28, as heretofore described.

ports 32 into the first ball ground and the size of mesh of The material being processed-is subjected to the grinding first ball race chamber, and thence passes through the side ports 37 into the second ball' for drawing the material through the mill,

by inducing a current of air therethrough. When the mill is used as a wet grinder the discharge orifice 41 may be enlarged in the usual manner for permitting the flow by gravity of the wet mixture through the mill.

the main inner casing separates 'the feed end chamber of the mill from the discharge end chamber, so that material entering the mill is forced to pass through the entire series of ball tracks before reaching the discharge end of the mill The lrelatively few and relatively small balls 39 illustrated in the feed end chamber are for the purpose of breaking up oversize pieces in the feed, such pieces being too large, unless broken, to pass through the race. Moreover the small balls in the feed chamber tend to feed the material ,through the first ball race.

vA few small balls are likewise illustrated in the discharge end chamber of the mill. These balls are for the purpose of grinding to proper size any over-size pieces of material that may happen to pass through the series `of ball races, so that no tramp pieces of over-size material may be carried out of the mill with otherwise properly ground material.

It is intended to build each mill so that it will deliver a constant output of a predetermined size of ground material, all minus 'a specified mesh, and to deliver this material continuously without having to make adjustments during the operation of the mill.

For delivering a very coarse ground material, the mill may be built with only one action of the balls in this The solid or imperforate partition 33 in the ports 32 into ball race chamber, and one set of large balls in the chamber.

The size of balls used and the number of ball races built into any given mill are determined by the nature of the material to be ground product desired.

In general, the finer the mesh of nished ground product the more ball races.

The size of balls to be used in the races depends upon the size of the material fed into the mill, and whether or not this material is of an easy grinding or hard grinding nature.

I claim:

1. A ball mill and the like including walls forming a feed chamber, a discharge chamber, and an annular ball race chamber, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber.

2. A ball mill and the like including walls forming an annular ball race chamber, a plurality of inlet and outlet ports therefor, and a plurality of balls substantially filling the chamber and substantially balancing the apparatus and movable in the chambervfor grinding material passing therethrough.

3. A ball mill and the like including walls forming a feed chamber, a discharge cham*- ber, and an annular ball race chamber, l:a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports ccmmunicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and'aplurality of balls movable in the ball racechamber for grinding material passing through the chamber, the greatest diameter of any ball being less than the least diameter of the chamber.

4. A ball mill and the like including rotatable walls forming a feed chamber. a discharge chamber, and an annular ball race chamber, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber. and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber.

5. A ball mill and the like including rotatable walls forming an annular ball race chamber, a plurality of inlet and outlet ports therefor, and plurality of balls substantially filling the chamber and substantially balancing the apparatus and movable in the chamber for grinding material passing` therethrough.

6. A ball mill and the like including rotatable walls forming a feed chamber. a discharge chamber. and an annular ball. race chamber, a plurality vof inlet ports communieating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports p communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber, the greatest diameter of any ball being less than the least diameter of the chamber.

7 A ball mill and the like including walls forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, and walls forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers and intervening partitions between the chambers, a plurality of ports in the partitions communicating between adjacent ball race chambers, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet portscommunicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers.

8. A ball mill and the like including walls forming a plurality, ofy annular ball race chambers, communicating ports between adjacent chambers, inlet ports for one end chamber, outlet ports for the other end chamber. and a plurality of balls substan- Atially filling the cham'bers and substantially `'balancing the apparatus and movable in the chamber for Agrinding material passing therethrough.

9. A ball mill and the like including walls forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, and walls for ning a plurality ofy annular ball race chambers and intervening partitions between the chambers, a pluralitv of ports in the partitions communicating between adiacent ball race chambers. a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber. a pluralitv of outlet ports communicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber. and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers. the greatest diameter of any ball being less than the least diameter of its chamber.

10. A ball mill and thelike including rotatable walls forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber. and walls forming a pluralityvv of annular ball race chambers and intervening partitions between the chambers, a plurality of ports in the partitions communicatingr between chambers. a. plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and one. end ball race chamber. a plurality of outlet ports communicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber. and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material assing through the chambers. A

11. A ball mill. and the like including roadiacent ball race' tatable walls forming a plurality ofannular ball race chambers, communicating ports between adjacent chambers, inlet ports for one end chamber, outlet ports for the other e-nd chamber, and a plurality of balls substantially filling the chambers and substantially balancing the apparatus and movble in the chamber for grinding material passing therethrough.

12. A ball mill and the like'including rotatable walls forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, and walls forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers and intervening partitions between the chambers, a plurality of ports in the partitions communicating between adjacent ball race chambers, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports communicating between the other end b-all race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers, the greatest diameter of-any ball being less than the least diameter of its chamber.

13. A ball mill and the like including horizontally rotatable walls forming a feed chamber` a discharge chamber, and an annular ball race chamber, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, a plurality of out-let ports communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber.

14. A ball mill and the like including horizontally rotatable walls forming an annular ball ra^e chamber, a plurality of inlet and out-let ports therefor, and a pluiality of balls substantially filling the chamber and substantially balancing the apparatus and movable in the chamber for grinding material passing therethroug 15. A ball mill ,and the like including horizontally rotatable lwalls forming a feed chamber, a discharge chamber, 'and an annular ball race chamber, a plurality of inlet portscommunicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports communicating between' the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race Chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber, the greatest diameter o f any ball being less than the least diameter ofthe chamber.

16. A ball mill and the like including horizontally rotatable walls forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, and walls forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers and interveninglpartitions between the chambers, a plurality of ports in the partitions communlcating between adjacent ball race chambers, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports Communicating between the other end :ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing thro-ugh the chambers.

17. A ball mill and the like including horizontally rotatable walls forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers, communicating ports between adjacent chambers, inlet ports for one end chamber, outlet ports for the other end chamber, and a plurality of balls substantially filling the chambers and substantially balancing the apparatus and movable in the chamber for grinding material passing therethrough.

18. A ball mill and the likel including horizontally rotatable walls forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, and walls forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers and intervening partitions between the chambers, a plurality of ports commu-- nicating between adjacent b-all race chambers, a plurality of inlet ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber, a plurality of outlet ports communicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable inI the ball race chambers fo-r grinding material passing through the chambers, the greatest diameter of any ball being less than the least diameter of its chamber.

19. IA ball mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, walls forming an annular ball race chamber adjacent the casing, a plurality of ports communicating between the casing and the chamber adjacent the feed orifice for the casing, and a plurality of ports communieating between the chamber and the casing adjacent the discharge orifice for the casing, and a plurality of balls movable in the chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber.

20. A ball mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, an imperforate partition in the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming an annular ball race chamber adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, and ports communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material assing through the chamber.

21. ball mill and the like including walls formin an inner casing, feed and discharge or1 ces for the casing, a partition vin the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming an annular ball race chamber adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, and ports communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber, and a plurality of balls in the feed chamber.

22. A ball mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, a partition in the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming an annular ball race chamber adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, and ports'communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing; through the chamber, and a plurality of balls in the discharge chamber.

23. A ball mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, a parti# tion in the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming an annular ball race chamber adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber and the ball race chamber, and ports communicating between the ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, a plurality of balls 'movable in the ball race chamber for grinding material passing through the chamber, and a plurality of balls in each of the feed and discharge chambers.

24. A ball. mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, walls adjacent the casing forming a plurality. of

annular ball race chambers and intervaling partitions between the chambers, a plurality of ports communicating between the casing and one end chamber adjacent the feed orifice, a plurality of ports communieating between the other end chamber and the casing adjacent the discharge orifice, and a plurality of ports in the partitions communicating between adjacent chambers, and a plurality of balls movable in the chamber for grinding material passing through the chambers. 1. 25. A ball mill and the like includin walls forming an inner casing, feed an discharge or perforate partition in the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming a plurality of annular ball race chambers adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber bind one end ball race chamber, ports comf walls formin ...adjacent the casing,

orifices for the casing, an immunicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, ports communicating between adjacent ball race chambers, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers.

26. A ball mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, a partition in the casing-forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls formin/g a plurality of annular ball race chambers, adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber, ports communicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, ports communicating between adjacent chambers, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers, and a plurality of balls in the feed chamber.

27. A ball mill and the like including walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orifices for the casing, a partition in the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming a adjacent the casing, ports communicating between the feed chamber and one end ball race chamber, ports communicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, ports communicating between adjacent chambers, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers, and a plurality of balls 1n the discharge chamber.

28. A ball mill and the like includin an inner casing, feed an discharge orices for.v the casing, a partition in the casing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, walls forming a plurality of annular ports communicatin between the feed chamber and one end ba race chamber, ports communicating between the other end ball race chamber and the discharge chamber, ports communicating between adjacent chambers, and a plurality of balls movable in the ball race chambers for grinding material passing through the chambers, and a plurality of balls in each of the feed and discharge chambers.

ball race chambers forate feed partition in the casing forming a chamber and a discharge chamber, ports communicating between the feed chamber and the discharge chamber, and a 5 plurality of balls in the 3l. A ball mill and discharge chamber. the like including Walls forming an inner casing, feed and discharge orices for th f orate partition in the e casing, an impercasing forming a feed chamber and a discharge chamber, 10 ports communicating betweenv the feed chamber and the discharge chamber, andra plurality of balls in each of the feed and discharge chambers.

In testimony that I claim the above, I 15 have hereunto subscribedl my name.

WILLIAM M. BARKER. 

